Pupils participate in Walk to School week

Schools across South Lanarkshire took part in the 2013 Walk to School Week which is designed to encourage children and their parents or guardians to walk to school.

Walk to School Week is an annual event organised by Living Streets which attempts to get children to commit to walking to school throughout the week. All educational establishments across South Lanarkshire were sent Walk to School Week resources.

This year the theme was ‘Strider’s Five Day Walking Challenge’, which communicated the benefits of walking and delivered key road safety messages to support the national curriculum. There was a different theme each day covering safety, discovery, health, eco friendly and social time along with a free learning resource to complement the challenge.

Councillor Graham Simpson, chair of South Lanarkshire Council’s Road Safety Forum, said: “Walking to school has a number of benefits for children and their parents. It can improve your health and give young people practical road safety awareness.

“It can reduce pollution, save petrol and stop the crowding which sometimes happens around school entrances. Selfish parking at school gates can put children in danger.

“I appreciate some people do not have any option other than to take the car on the school run, but parking a short distance away and walking is much better than trying to park directly outside the school.”

For more information contact James Davitt, South Lanarkshire Council, on 01698 453 857.